Anti-Sandoval group spends big bucks, makes new ad

A group seeking to undermine the gubernatorial campaign of Republican Brian Sandoval is expected to spend about $500,000 on television advertising in advance of the June 8 primary election.

The Committee to Protect Nevada Jobs today launched its newest ad, one which will be on the air statewide thanks to the group's aggressive media time buying of late.

The new ad reiterates old slams on Sandoval, alleging that as attorney general in 2003 he urged the state supreme court to force legislators to approve an $800 million tax increase. Sandoval calls the charge a lie and attorneys on both sides of the dispute have said it is misleading to say Sandoval pushed for a tax increase.

Nonetheless, the new ad will be running frequently in an attempt to sway voters in the Republican primary to consider incumbent Gov. Jim Gibbons over Sandoval.

Statewide polls have shown Sandoval with a double-digit lead over Gibbons and Democrats think Sandoval would be more difficult for likely Democratic nominee Rory Reid to defeat in November.

The Committee for Nevada Jobs is funded in large part with $500,000 from the Democratic Governors Association and organized by Dan Hart, a longtime consultant to Reid.

Hart says the group is still raising money for more ads: "As we get more money it's being put on TV. It will end up being close to ($500,000)," he said.

(Below is the ad launched today by The Committee to Protect Nevada Jobs.)